And just like that, it's been over a week since I posted. Whoops.
If I haven't been writing, I've at least been riding, which is probably better for my mental health than anything right now.
Here's what the girls have been up to:
Saturday:
Bailey went XC (lightly) and despite being spooky, was generally a good girl. She had a hard look/stop/bailey I wasn't even pointing you at that fence moment at the new "Tiki hut" jump, but cruised over the corner (albeit awkwardly on round one) and was obedient through the barrel jump and ditch coffin. The ground was pretty chewed up from the clinic the weekend before, and while I ended happy, I didn't have the footing or bit I needed to do anything life changing.
Foxie went for a trot set which reminded me how boring and flat her trot is, and how easy Bailey is on my joints (is that even a thing?). She came in showing that she was in substantially better fitness than the last time I let her canter out, which made me very happy indeed.
Monday:
Bailey did some dressage, while Foxie got flatted in the bareback pad. I don't remember anything life-changing happening, so that's what I've got.
Wednesday:
Bailey show jumped in the outdoor. After having a person around to do fences for me, I was a little apprehensive setting my own fences. I pretty much left only one jump up at a sizeable height (3'3 backrail on an airy oxer) and then spent my ride time loping around the other jumps trying to not make eye contact with the big oxer. I finally grew some balls and pointed B at it... and it was perfect. She's really made a lot of improvement since we moved to Woodloch, including being more of a heat-seeking missile to the fences. She's starting to take me there, and now that I know what 3'3 feels like (awesome and easy) I think I'll be a lot bolder, which hopefully will mean that Bailey will get over the last of the spookiness and we can get on to having fun at other courses. I did jump her in her slow twist, which lives on a grackle bridle vs my fake PS of Sweden that I've been using a lot lately. However, her royal highness took offense to something, because there was lots of high headed "I'm going to REAR!" threats as well as some general shittiness about my spurs and crop.
Saturday:
I fully expected to jump Bailey again (ok, I was kind of addicted to that oxer) but the arena was devoid of jumps (WHYYY) and I was too lazy to set any, so instead we ended up flatting in the upper outdoor and hacking out on the XC to lope around a few fences. Which was probably good, because the minute we entered the upper outdoor, Bailey decided that two men walking out from the BO's house were TERRIFYING and she half reared and spun, and then spent a while being spooky and nappy and stupid.
So fall has finally hit the brain. Eyeroll.
When I finally got some work out of her (leg yields, shoulder fore, canter work) one of the barn rats and I rode out to the XC. She was generally kind of hot and excited, which meant she really took me to the fences with no refusals. The ditch had water in it, which resulted in a hairy eyeball moment, but she went and went easily over whatever else I threw at her. She even jumped the BN picnic table with about 3' to spare (or so it felt) but it wasn't awkward. She went out in the regular mouth dee ring on her fake PS this time, and while she was high headed and rear-y again, I'm thinking that behavior was more environmental vs the previous jump school was very clearly something to do with me touching her face.
Foxie did some lovely bareback dressage in the upper outdoor after I got Bailey taken care of; I put the BOT sheet on her when I arrived and that seemed to make her much more comfortable to be ridden. However, that doesn't stop her back from being super uncomfortable (still) even with the bareback pad, so I think we'll be working in a saddle going forward. Just to save my butt.
Looking into this week, the girls won't get a lot of ride time in; I'll ride today, but can't decide if I should try to make it to the barn Wednesday after work. The vet is coming out that day and I generally give them the day off after vaccinations, anyways, and I have a late night appointment...We shall see. I'll probably ride on Friday to make up for it, and then we'll be back to full steam ahead!
If I haven't been writing, I've at least been riding, which is probably better for my mental health than anything right now.
Here's what the girls have been up to:
Saturday:
Bailey went XC (lightly) and despite being spooky, was generally a good girl. She had a hard look/stop/bailey I wasn't even pointing you at that fence moment at the new "Tiki hut" jump, but cruised over the corner (albeit awkwardly on round one) and was obedient through the barrel jump and ditch coffin. The ground was pretty chewed up from the clinic the weekend before, and while I ended happy, I didn't have the footing or bit I needed to do anything life changing.
Foxie went for a trot set which reminded me how boring and flat her trot is, and how easy Bailey is on my joints (is that even a thing?). She came in showing that she was in substantially better fitness than the last time I let her canter out, which made me very happy indeed.
Monday:
Bailey did some dressage, while Foxie got flatted in the bareback pad. I don't remember anything life-changing happening, so that's what I've got.
 |
| Saddle is still pretty. |
Wednesday:
Bailey show jumped in the outdoor. After having a person around to do fences for me, I was a little apprehensive setting my own fences. I pretty much left only one jump up at a sizeable height (3'3 backrail on an airy oxer) and then spent my ride time loping around the other jumps trying to not make eye contact with the big oxer. I finally grew some balls and pointed B at it... and it was perfect. She's really made a lot of improvement since we moved to Woodloch, including being more of a heat-seeking missile to the fences. She's starting to take me there, and now that I know what 3'3 feels like (awesome and easy) I think I'll be a lot bolder, which hopefully will mean that Bailey will get over the last of the spookiness and we can get on to having fun at other courses. I did jump her in her slow twist, which lives on a grackle bridle vs my fake PS of Sweden that I've been using a lot lately. However, her royal highness took offense to something, because there was lots of high headed "I'm going to REAR!" threats as well as some general shittiness about my spurs and crop.
Saturday:
I fully expected to jump Bailey again (ok, I was kind of addicted to that oxer) but the arena was devoid of jumps (WHYYY) and I was too lazy to set any, so instead we ended up flatting in the upper outdoor and hacking out on the XC to lope around a few fences. Which was probably good, because the minute we entered the upper outdoor, Bailey decided that two men walking out from the BO's house were TERRIFYING and she half reared and spun, and then spent a while being spooky and nappy and stupid.
So fall has finally hit the brain. Eyeroll.
When I finally got some work out of her (leg yields, shoulder fore, canter work) one of the barn rats and I rode out to the XC. She was generally kind of hot and excited, which meant she really took me to the fences with no refusals. The ditch had water in it, which resulted in a hairy eyeball moment, but she went and went easily over whatever else I threw at her. She even jumped the BN picnic table with about 3' to spare (or so it felt) but it wasn't awkward. She went out in the regular mouth dee ring on her fake PS this time, and while she was high headed and rear-y again, I'm thinking that behavior was more environmental vs the previous jump school was very clearly something to do with me touching her face.
Foxie did some lovely bareback dressage in the upper outdoor after I got Bailey taken care of; I put the BOT sheet on her when I arrived and that seemed to make her much more comfortable to be ridden. However, that doesn't stop her back from being super uncomfortable (still) even with the bareback pad, so I think we'll be working in a saddle going forward. Just to save my butt.
Looking into this week, the girls won't get a lot of ride time in; I'll ride today, but can't decide if I should try to make it to the barn Wednesday after work. The vet is coming out that day and I generally give them the day off after vaccinations, anyways, and I have a late night appointment...We shall see. I'll probably ride on Friday to make up for it, and then we'll be back to full steam ahead!
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